, 1887-04-27
THE PEOPLES VIEW ABOUT
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND.

The few spiteful papers, professedly Demo
cratic, which are Just now doing their best
to discredit President Cleveland, have a very
dim notion of the way in which the Presl-
dent course and their own attacks impress
the people,. If they understood the popular
mind better they would change their policy,
for they would see that what they charge
against him as faults and defects the people
regard as virtues, and what they are constant
ly urging him to Go Is what the people do
not care to have done. All the signs OF public
opinion, positive and negative, point to this
conclusion. What Mr.. Cleveland is blamed
for is neglecting partisan claimants for Office.
What he is advised and exhorted to do is to
give more patronage tc the workers of the
Democratic Party. This is the gist of the
matter. 1t is cloaked in fine phrases and
got at in q roundabout fashion by Mr..
Cleveland critics, but this is what it amounts
to.
Now, as a matter of fact, there is a very
small proportion of the people of either party
who care anything about who hold the offices
SO long as they are reputable men and do
their work well. The merely partisan Re-
pubIicans naturally are not concerned over
any slowness the President may show in
making changes. The great body of the
people, who are not partisans, which.ev
ticket they may be in the habit of voting, are
entirely Indifferent as to the distribution Of
patronage, and are interested only m a de-
cent and efficient civil service. There remain
only the merely partisan Democrats. Many
of these are substantially satisfied, either
because such changes as have been made have
been in their favor, or because they have the
sense to see that the President has
strengthened his party by his moderation.
SO that the OnIV 1lGrEOnc who really have
any active interest in the question that is
beng agitated by the Democratic opponents
of the President are those who have been
disappointed in seeking places for them
selves or for their friends. Their number
is not great. Their influence is small.
Tney ore not greatly listened tc, because they
are plainly prejudiced, and the standard by
which they assume to Judge Mr.. Cleveland
is not one adopted to any extent by the
American people.
On the other hand, the people are steadily
advancing in their confidence in and respect
for the President. They Judge him roughly
by the general tenor of his Administration,
and they are satisfied with it. Critics who
pick out single acts that they do not approve
make a serious mistake in seeking a verdict
on those alone. That is not the popular way
of coming to a conclusion in such matters,
sAO 1 40 NV O JOoO OA4O' IL Il LOG Only IlEnb
but necessary that each important act shall
be examined and criticised, and where that
is lone fairly and in sincerity the criticism is
listened to. We have the best of reasons for
knowing that such discussion of the Presi-
dents acts is respected and has weight. But
those who seek to persuade the people that
n error or even a considerable number of
errors are proof of general incapacity have
their labor for their pains. The people allow
q fair margin of error. They know that it is
required. If, happily, a public man does
not exceed such margin they judge him by
the rest of what he does, and their Judgment
is favorable, as it ought to be. They believe
chat Mr.. Cleveland has been honest and
faithful and courageous, and that fact counts
more with them than the complaints as to
bis management of purely party interests
for which they care little.
The way in which this view of the Presi-
dent has beenobtained is an extremely healthy
sign, because it shows that character is more
regarded than anything else by the people,
and that sympathy with manliness and fde,
lily and courage is strong, while interest in
marrow and selfish partisan feelings is slight.
Mr.. Cleveland came to the Presidency at a
partic ular ~juncture in public affairs. Party
feeling was still strong. but not nearly SO Bit
ter as in any Presidential election for twenty
years. Clear distinctions between the purposes
- = ~